KIND-HEARTED kids and adults have been pulling in the pounds to help a Lye surgeon realise his dream of opening a £1m hospital in his homeland.

Youngsters at Wollescote Primary School raised £855 for Russells Hall Hospital consultant Atiq-ur Rehman's quest to build a brand new hospital for the poor in his hometown of Bewal in Tehsil Gujar Khan, Pakistan.

The children raised the money by staging fun-packed sponsored events, including a bean bag race.

Mr Rehman, of Chapel Street, said: "The kids have really put in a lot of effort."

Meanwhile, the Lye Meena Bazaar organised by Lye Asian Women's Group and held at Lye Ghausia Mosque on Saturday February 24 raised more than double what it was expected to for the cause.

The grand total, which included sales of Asian foods and clothing plus donations of cash, was £4,250.

Mr Rehman, aged 43, said: "The Lye community participated very well and the event was a huge success."

A further £2,395 was also raised from a folk music event held in Lye and organised by Asghar Bhatti.

Mr Rehman hopes the new five-storey 50-bed charity hospital - offering free treatment to the poor - will save thousands of lives in the region, where villagers die simply because they cannot afford to pay for routine treatment.

He launched the appeal three months ago and has so far raised nearly £140,000 - and building work is already well under way.

The outer shell of the hospital is now almost complete and Mr Rehman hopes to start offering limited hospital services before the year is out.

More big fundraisers are also in the pipeline, including charity dinners in Bradford and Birmingham.

Anyone wishing to boost the appeal - dubbed the Abdul Rehman Memorial Trust after Mr Rehman's father - can send cheques, payable to ARM Trust, to the News Group, St Johns House, St Johns Road, Stourbridge, DY8 1EH or pay HSBC sort code: 40-43-17 account number: 22153904.

ABOVE: The story so far... work is already well under way at the hospital site.